The Cherry blossom Tales
The Cherry Blossom Tales is an immersive creative non-fiction project that brings to life echoes of Ballaghaderreen’s past through storytelling, art, folklore, and community recollections. Funded by Creative Ireland, this initiative unfolds through a series of dynamic workshops with Karen Munnelly’s TY students at St. Nathy’s College, where history is reimagined and voices from the past are given new life.
The Cherry Blossom Tales is a living, breathing journey into the heart of place, memory, and the imagination.
February to April: The Garden Gathering
From February to April, The Garden Gathering workshops invite students to journey into the lost world of Anne Deane’s garden (Dillons) - not by stepping into a physical space, but through imagination and creative exploration.
The journey begins under the delicate canopy of a lone cherry blossom tree, where echoes of history intertwine with the present.
The last-standing cherry tree is a silent witness to generations of gatherings; a threshold where history lingers. Beneath its branches, the veil between past and present thins, enabling students to reimagine moments when figures such as John Blake Dillon, James Dillon, Eamon De Valera, and Michael Davitt once walked, sharing stories and dreams.
While immersed in the beauty of the cherry blossom tree, students will step back in time - imagining the whispered conversations, the rustle of fabric at elegant garden parties, and the scent of food and drink drifting from Monica Duffs store.
Did whispers of intrigue, joy, sorrow, or even romance drift beneath the cherry tree’s branches? Perhaps Anne Deane once lingered under its canopy, mesmerised by the delicate fragrance of blossoms in the air. As she watched the morning light flicker against the shifting shadows of passersby, what thoughts might have stirred in her mind?
The students will respond to these rich imaginings through storytelling, mixed-media expression, and artistic exploration.
They will learn to use photography and videography to bring stories to life; experiment with audio storytelling and soundscapes and develop their creative writing and storytelling skills.
Seasonal Transitions: April to may.
As the cherry blossoms bloom in April, their drifting petals inspire new narratives. As the blossoms fall and scatter throughout Ballaghaderreen, the spring workshops focus on movement, change, and the way memories and history drift through time.
Poetry, photography, and visual art are woven into the workshops to spark the imagination, helping students explore how history lingers - carried forward through nature, place, and the people who pass through.
The petals, once part of the cherry tree that bore witness to the garden gatherings, are now carried on a Westerly wind; and with them the essence of those long-ago moments: the laughter and secrets shared. Though unseen and unheard, something magical lingers within the petals; a quiet energy waiting to be found.
As they are picked up - perhaps caught in a passerby’s fingers, or noticed as they settle on a doorstep - an almost imperceptible connection to the past is forged. Though the words once spoken beneath the tree may be lost, something stirs in the fleeting moment of a gaze - a shift in perspective, an unexpected inspiration.
Students explore this mysterious transmission of memory and inspiration, reflecting on how history is not just recorded, but also felt - how it moves through landscapes, through nature, and through us.
The last session also weaves in environmental themes, considering the importance of preserving trees and the lessons they offer about resilience and adaptation.
The Cherry Blossom Tales culminates in a celebratory event and exhibition, where student creations will be shared with the wider community, offering a powerful reflection on history, creativity, and the unseen threads that connect the past with the delicate present moment.
Outcomes:
A series of workshops with St. Nathy’s students, using historical narrative, folklore, and community recollections as catalysts for creative exploration.
Students will have time between each workshop to produce something creative in response to the themes, which will form a portfolio of student-led creative expressions (written or recorded narratives, photography / video or visual art + any other medium chosen).
Upon completion of the workshops there will be an event (date to be finalised) featuring an exhibition, recorded storytelling presentations, and live student readings, bringing the gathered material to life.
Anna will work with interested students to secure media coverage of the work - including potential radio interviews.
Throughout the project, Anna will document the journey, sharing insights through a series of blog posts on her website. She will also create a collection of photographs and videos that visually capture the themes and creative processes explored. All of this content will be shared on social media - and included in a final report at the end of the project.
Photo Credits:
Cherry Blossoms, by Anna King
